Thai Democrat Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth is escorted by Cambodian police at Phnom Penh Municipal Court. -- PHOTO: AFP
The Straits Times
BANGKOK - THAILAND'S premier on Thursday demanded the immediate release of seven Thais, including a ruling party politician, who were detained by Cambodian troops near the countries' disputed border.
'Cambodia must release all seven Thais immediately,' Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. 'Cambodia should not take this case to court as it will further complicate the issue.' The seven, including Democrat Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth, appeared in a court in Phnom Penh on Thursday for questioning, a day after being detained by Cambodian authorities, who said they had entered its territory illegally.
They were taken to the Phnom Penh municipal court under tight security in the morning for a hearing that was closed to the media, according to an AFP reporter. By mid-afternoon there was still no announcement by the court.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday the seven, who also include members of the royalist 'Yellow Shirt' movement, would be charged and put in jail to await trial.
In an attempt to secure their release, the Thai foreign minister was due to travel to Cambodia to meet his counterpart later on Thursday.
'Cambodia must take into consideration that if they want cordial ties they should rely on negotiations. If not then there is a problem for both sides,' Mr Abhisit said. -- AFP
2 comments:
lock them in jaile atlease a month we will success from thise thai stratergy. they are in cambodia on porpurs, they realy want something to happen, and the dirty trick will show up, they will wine if we release them, good to jail them and supper good is to suffer them by some stave them.
Agreed. We should lock them up for at least one month before we begin any diplomatic negotiation to release them. Many Cambodians have been jailed in Thailand and have been killed like dogs for mistakenly trespassed into Thai territory. The 7 Thais were lucky that they were not killed by Khmer soldiers.
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